Submersible chamber



Feb. 13, 1940. E. s. MARTINE SUBMERSIBLE CHAMBER Filed Nov. 16, 1938 I /NN INVENTOR. M41? 77 NE ATTORNEYS EDMUND 5. 4

2 "pulley wheel l around which is adapted to l annea- Fet. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE t 2.190330" v SUBIMERSQIBLE CHAMBER Edmund s, Martino, 1.0; Angeles; cane Application November 16, 1938, Serial No, 240,841

9 Claims.

This invention relates to submersible chambers and more particularly to a tank or chamber adapted ,to hold a numberof persons and be submerged a'moderate distance below the sur- ,face of water, and having windows through which to view the subsurface marine environment for amusementpeducational and similar purposes 'An objector the invention is to provide a sub-- mersible chamberadapted to hold a number of persons in comfort and safety, and be submerged below the surface'of the water, and adapted to be raised and lowered at will.

Another object is to provide a submersible chamber fora number'ofpersons having windows through which to view the marine environment for amusement, educational or scientific purp I-H" 1 Another object is to provide a structure of the character, described, having safe and. simple- 'fii means" of operation and control.

1 1 .Other .objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in thefollowing speci- .fiatiomreference being hadto the accompanyling drawing, wherein, I

f Fig. 1 is an elevation view of a structure embodying my invention. p 4 .Fig. 2' is] a sectional view illustrating one of the i control features.

Fig.1 3 is a sectional-view illustrating another of thecontrol features.

Fig.4 is a modified for'm of the structure shown in Fig. 2. Referring more particularly to the drawing, I show a structuralframework 5 supported on suitable foundation members 6, such as the ground or a pier or otherwise, structure 5 being adapted to 'havea tubular member 1 secured an- The thereto at itsupper, end and to be suitably cihored in the earth 8 under the water.

0 structure 55 supports a hoisting mechanism 9 which includes suitable gears, a motor and a run a cable It preferably of stranded steel. The cable ll is carried around a pulley wheel l2 suitably e ured in a recess in a column 1 near the tt m. thereof.

The submersible unit embodying my invention comprises a drumlike structure l3 having a cylindrical side 'wall M, a top l5 and a bottom 15. 1 it The drum i3 is preferably of welded steel con struction'or' the like, and has a central column ll welded to the top l5 and the bottom l6 adaped to receive the tube 1 on which the drum maybe raised and lowered. A pair of small columns I8 are similarly secured to the top I5 and the" bottom [6 and contain'the cable H.

A suitable water-tight door I! is provided in sidewall l4, and an emergency hatch may be provided in the top IS. A number of port '6 holes or windows 2i are provided in side wall it through which'the occupants of the chamber may view the marine conditions when the tank is submerged.

At a suitable point on the cable is secured i a cylinder 22 preferably by the use of a quantity of Babbitt metal 23. The cylinder 22 has a pair of apertures 24 adapted to receive a. stud pin 25 of a handscrew 26 suitably threaded at 2? to one of the columns l8. A control lever Ellsuitably, mounted within the drum l3 con-- trols; the electric hoist mechanism 9 preferably using a standard elevator control. The column H has a bracket 29 secured thereto and a hand wheel 30- is secured-to a screw 3| having a I. threaded connection with bracket 29, and a brake shoe 32 is swivel mounted on screw 31 and has an arcuate surface for engagement with tube 1.

The operation of the invention should be apparent from the foregoing description. The rais- 25 log and lowering of the drum I3 is normally done by the operation of the hoisting mechanism 9 controlled by the lever 28, the drum i3 being securedto the cable I l by the stud 25 and the hand wheel-26. i

The buoyancy of the drum l3, however, is great enough so that after submersing, the drum may be raised by this buoyancy in which case the brake 32 is set against the tube I and. the studs 25 released from the cylinder 22. The brake 32 35 is used to prevent the drum I3 being violently projected up out of the water by reason of its buoyancy to the injury of the occupants and damage to the structure. It will thus be apparent that in the event'of the failure of the hoisting 40 mechanism 9, the drum l3 can be safely released from the cable H and brought to the surface. The raising and lowering of the drum IS on the tube 1 as described, efiectively prevents injury to the chamber by reason of the wave activity.

In Fig. 4 is shown optional cable clutch mechanism wherein a shoe member 32 carried by a threaded stud 33 in tubular member 18 is pressed against cable I i by the action of a hand wheel 34.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

l. A submersible structure as described, comprising a vertical tubular guide anchored in the river bed and above the surface of the water, a drum surrounding the guide and having a well through which the guide passes, a cable secured 56 to said drum, a pair of pulleys for said cable, an anchoring means for said pulleys above and below the surface of the water, respectively.

2. A submersible structure as described, comprising a vertical tubular guide anchored in the river bed and above the surface of the water, a

drum surrounding the guide and having a well through which the guide passes, a cable secured to said drum, a pair of pulleys for said cable, an anchoring means for said pulleys above and below the surface of the water, respectively, said anchoring means including a tubular member, said drum having means for slidable engagement with said tubular member.

3. A submersible structure as described, comprising a vertical tubular guide anchored in the river bed and above the surface of the water, a drum surrounding the guide and having a well through which the guide passes, a cable secured to said drum, a pair of pulleys for said cable, an anchoring means for said pulleys above and below the surface of the water, respectively, said anchoring means including a tubular member, said drum having means for slidable engagement with said tubular member, said engaging means comprising a second tubular member adapted to receive said first tubular member.

4. A submersible structure as described, com prising a drum, a cable secured to said drum, a pair of pulleys for said cable, an anchoring means for said pulleys above and below the surface of the water, respectively, said anchoring means including a tubular member, said drum having means for slidable engagement with said tubular member, said engaging means comprising a second tubular member adapted to receive said first tubular member, and a brake secured to said second tubular member and adapted to engage said first tubular member.

5. A submersible structure as described, comprising a vertical column having its lower end anchored below the surface of a body of water and having its upper end secured above said surface, a drum having a tubular member extending therethrough adapted for slidable engagement with said column, a cable adapted to travel along said column and extending through said drum, a tubular member in said drum for said cable and having engaging means therefor, and a brake secured to said first tubular member adapted for engagement with said column, and reversible power means for said cable.

6. A submersible structure as described comprising a vertical tubular guide anchored in the bed of the river and above the surface of the water, a drum surrounding the guide and having a well through which the guide freely passes, a cable for hoisting and lowering said drum, and a brake operated from within the drum for engaging the guide for controlling the movement of the drum thereon.

7. A submersible structure as described comprising a vertical tubular guide anchored in the bed of the river and above the surface of the water, a drum surrounding the guide and having a well through which the guide freely passes, a cable for raising and lowering the drum and pass ing through the well in the drum and locked to the drum, means operated within the drum for releasing the same from the cable, and a brake mechanism operated within the drum for engaging the guide and controlling the movement of the drum on the guide.

8. A submersible structure as described comprising a vertical tubular guide anchored in the river bed and above the surface of the water, a drum surrounding the guide and passing through a well therein, an endless cable passing over pulleys carried by the upper and lower ends of the guide and passing through the wells in the drum,

means for locking the cable to one of the wells carried by the drum, means for releasing said locking means, and a brake operated from within the drum for engaging the guide and controlling the movement of the drum thereon.

9. A submersible structure as described comprising a vertical tubular guide anchored in the river bed and above the surface of the water, a drum surrounding said guide and having a well through which the same passes, an endless cable passing around pulleys carried by the upper and lower ends of the guide and passing through wells in the drum, means carried by one of the wells for locking the cable thereto, means for releasing said locking means, a brake operated from within the drum for engaging the guide and controlling the movement of the drum on the guide, means for driving the upper pulley, and an electric control within the drum for controlling said driving means.

EDMUND S. MARTINE. 

